Letters

August 05, 1990

NO-HITTERSCertainly Yankee pitcher Andy Hawkins deserves cheers for his no-hitter against the White Sox at Comiskey Park (No, No, Oh No, July 9), while his teammates deserve jeers for turning it into a 4-0 loss. But any reference to Hawkins's gem should carry with it a disclaimer noting that he actually pitched only eight innings of no-hit ball.MARC I. WHINSTONNew York City

•According to the baseball commissioner's office, a pitcher is credited with a no-hitter when he "pitches a complete game and does not allow any hits." Hawkins may have pitched only eight innings, because the Yankees were the visiting team and Chicago scored in the bottom of the eighth, but he was credited with a complete game and, thus, a no-hitter.—ED.

As frustrating as it must have been for Andy Hawkins to pitch and lose a no-hitter, he has a ways to go to match Harvey Haddix of the Pirates, who lost everything (perfecto, no-hitter, shutout and game) when the Milwaukee Braves got a hit and a run in the 13th inning in a game on May 26, 1959.JEFFREY R. TEDENSpringfield, Mass.

Following the spring training lockout, all I heard was how badly the pitchers would be affected. Suddenly the record pace of no-hitters thrown through the All-Star break has everyone at a loss for words. Well, how about these words: Good pitching will beat good hitting every time.L. SEAN KEYWilliston, N. Dak.

SCHOOLED IN THE FUNDAMENTALS FROM THE TIME HE COULD WALK, JOE MONTANA SHOWED EARLY THAT HE WAS A GIFTED PASSER, AND FOOTBALL FANS FROM MONONGAHELA TO SAN FRANCISCO HAVE MARVELED AT HIS ABILITIES EVER SINCE. FIRST OF TWO PARTS

Congratulations to Stan Javier for wisely accepting the $100 bet from his Dodger teammate Kal Daniels that, with two outs in the ninth, Dave Stewart would not get a no-hitter. I have no problem with placing a friendly wager on a sporting event, including a baseball game. However, I would think that "in the best interests of the game," commissioner Fay Vincent would have some second thoughts about Javier and Daniels' action. I do not propose that either Javier or Daniels be banned from baseball, but the lack of disciplinary action on Vincent's part is puzzling. After all, a bet is a bet.DAN GILLShorewood, Wis.

SPEAKING OUTCongratulations to Bill Fralic and to Peter King for 'We Can Clean It Up' (July 9), concerning the use of steroids in the NFL. It takes a considerable amount of courage and integrity to try to correct one of the darkest secrets of sports, the so-called controlled use of anabolic steroids.

Since I am also from the Philadelphia area, I have known of Fralic since his senior year in high school. And because I graduated from high school one year behind Fralic, I met him while being recruited by Pitt. Then I played against him when I chose the U.S. Naval Academy.

As an offensive lineman who knew the health dangers of steroids as well as the consequences if I got caught using them at the academy (immediate expulsion), I was never tempted to take steroids. I realize that I played for a school from which I would not be drafted into the NFL, but the service academies are producing good Division I-A football teams, and they do this without drugs.

Unfortunately, the use of steroids occurs much earlier in an athlete's career than when he reaches the NFL. Until the NCAA and the NFL work together toward a drug policy that includes unannounced testing and stiffer penalties for drug use, steroid abuse will not be curtailed.PATRICK J. HOFFMANLieutenantUnited States NavyHonolulu

MAKING GOODWhile glancing back through your 1986 baseball issue (April 14, 1986), I noticed that four of the six FACES IN THE CROWD—actually the feature was called PROSPECTS IN THE CROWD for that issue—are now in the majors: Greg Swindell pitches for the Cleveland Indians; Matt Williams plays third base for the San Francisco Giants; Scott Hemond is an infielder for the Oakland A's; and Jeff King plays third for the Pittsburgh Pirates.MATTHEW L. BURKEShelburne, Ont.

•In fact, the other two Prospects from that issue are also in baseball. As of July 26, outfielder Tom Howard had played 16 games for the San Diego Padres and batted .293, and outfielder Bob Zupcic had hit .221 for the Double A New Britain (Conn.) Red Sox.—ED.

PHOTOMICHAEL CONROYPHOTOELI REICHMAN

Letters to SPORTS ILLUSTRATED should include the name, address and home telephone number of the writer and should be addressed to The Editor, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, Time & Life Building, Rockefeller Center, New York, N.Y. 10020-1393.

TOM HOWARDGERMANTOWN, OHIOHoward, a 6'1", 185-pound junior outfielder at Ball State, set Mid-American Conference records last year with 17 homers and 69 RBIs. This season he is batting .506 with 10 homers and a 1,000 slugging percentage for the 14-10-1 Cardinals.

BOB ZUPCICLEVITTOWN, PA.Zupcic, a 6'3", 203-pound sophomore outfielder, is batting .295 for 28-9 Oral Roberts. Last summer he led Liberal (Kans.) to the National Baseball Congress title with a .425 batting average, 16 home runs and 29 stolen bases.